Real Alto — Valdivia Type Site
Valdivia (3500–1500 BCE) Early Ceramic Neolithic·Valdivia culture (earliest ceramics)·🇪🇨 Santa Elena Province, Ecuador
About
About Real Alto — Valdivia Type Site
Real Alto — Valdivia Type Site in Santa Elena Province, Ecuador is a Valdivia (3500–1500 BCE) Early Ceramic Neolithic ancient-village attributed to Valdivia culture (earliest ceramics). Oval plaza village with U-shaped mounds defining earliest plaza–mound complex in South America. Lathrap: 68 oval houses around plaza 300 × 100 m, earliest ceramic Valdivia figurines, 3000 BCE).
Why it mattersType-site for highland Valdivia culture (earliest ceramics) occupation
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Culture chronology refinement
- 02Imperial administration model
Theories
- 01Defensive puna adaptation
- 02Wari imperial expansion
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3500 BCE
- Period
- Valdivia (3500–1500 BCE) Early Ceramic Neolithic
- Culture
- Valdivia culture (earliest ceramics)
- Purpose
- Oval plaza village with U-shaped mounds defining earliest plaza–mound complex in South America
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3500 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1960 CE
Systematic archaeological expedition
On the ground
Structures & features
1.8700° S · 80.6800° W · 20 m · 4 mapped features
Real Alto — Valdivia Type Site — House Compound
houseHouse or oval house compound
1.8698° S · 80.6799° WReal Alto — Valdivia Type Site — Midden/Workshop Area
middenShell midden or lithic workshop
1.8702° S · 80.6798° WReal Alto — Valdivia Type Site — Plaza Centre
plazaCentral plaza
1.8696° S · 80.6803° WReal Alto — Valdivia Type Site — Quarry Source Outcrop
quarryStone source outcrop
1.8704° S · 80.6802° W